Doctor Who: BBC America Chief on Season 11 with a New Time Lord

by Cindy McLennan, February 17, 2017

BBC America exec Sarah Barnett is talking about the search for the Thirteenth Doctor, for the 11th season of the Doctor Who TV show. As previously reported, the current and Twelfth Doctor, Peter Capaldi, will exit the series at the conclusion of of the upcoming installment.

Doctor Who, season 10, premieres on BBC America, Saturday, April 15 at 9:00pm. Pearl Mackie debuts as the new companion, Bill, while Matt Lucas is returning to the franchise as Nardole. Guest stars will include David Suchet and Michelle Gomez.

DEADLINE:Speaking of therapy, a lot of Doctor Who fans may be getting some with the news that Peter Capaldi will be exiting as the Time Lord at the end of this year. Obviously, a new Doctor is nothing new on a series that has regenerated 12 times over the decades, but what concerns do you have as your flagship show goes though big changes on both sides of the camera with showrunner Steven Moffat also set to leave?

BARNETT: Honestly, I think it’s a really exciting time. I look at the energy that happens between the Matt Smith and Peter Capaldi handover in 2013. But I think that for this franchise, these sorts of endings and beginnings become incredible moments of celebration and re-engagement. I think that Peter brings such extraordinary acting chops, pathos, certain Bourdain-like rock-and-roll cool and just genius interpretation for the Doctor. We’ll all really miss him, but it’s a show that constantly is changing and evolving.

DEADLINE:So who do you think should be the next Doctor?

BARNETT: Well, I think, honestly, just the buzz, the conversation, the speculation, the crazy, spontaneous celebrity and non-celebrity fans auditioning online for who will be the next Doctor is a testament for how this show and franchise lives in pop culture and how real and meaningful it is. So we’re looking forward to watching, and maybe prodding, and stimulating all of the conversation with our fan base around the change that’s going on with Doctor Who.DEADLINE: You didn’t offer a candidate…

BARNETT: Well, David Tennant said that he thinks it should be Olivia Colman, who is stupendous.

What do you think? Who would you like to see as the next Doctor on the Doctor Who TV show? Isn’t it high time a woman played The Doctor? Let us know, below.